Tsunami survivors in Aceh province feel forgotten

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ten months after the devastating tsunami that claimed more than 210,000 human lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of others last December, the public living in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam is still in trouble.

More than 500,000 survivors are still living camps and temporary barracks in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Aceh Jaya and West Aceh. The four regions were worst hit by the 8.9 Richter-scale tremor and tsunami tidal waves.

A part of refugees have apparently gone unrest since many foreign aid agencies and nongovernmental organizations have begun pulling out from the province while the rehabilitation and reconstruction work moves too slowly.

So far only 15 percent of refugees have occupied their simple home built by state-owned construction companies.

Many survivors who lost their couple and children have set their dependence on emergency relief from local authorities and foreign and international aid agencies. But they have frequently complained on the soaring prices of basic commodities which was triggered by the recent fuel price hike.

They receive Rp 3,000 (35 Cents) each per day from local authorities and rice aid from the World Food Program.

A part of school-age children have no longer classes since many children centers built near refuge camps have disappeared.

Most refugees who used to go fishing won't resume their daily activities since they could not afford new fishing boats or vessels. But many fishermen have made other job under the sponsorship of UNDP and their school-age children moved to other schools with the help of Unicef.

"The problem in Aceh is still far from over and survivors, especially internally-displaced children, need a special attention because they are facing a dark future," 18-year-old Seong Hur, a volunteer worker of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) said here recently.

Seong who sits at 12nd grade of the Jakarta International School, said tsunami survivors needed not an emergency aid but a long-term one to help them recover from their trauma and grievance triggered by the disastrous tragedy.

Working as a volunteer worker of Koica, Seong has helped the Korean aid agency channel and distribute humanitarian aids to survivors in the four worst-devastated regions.

"Besides collecting used clothes, books and toys from the Korean community in Jakarta, I have also used my monthly pocket money to buy books, pens, pencils and toys to be sent to children centers in Lampu U, Lhoong, Lhok Nga, Meuraxa and Kutaraja in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar.

"Compared to billions of dollars donated by the international community to Aceh, this is not valuable but such a routine aid will help school-age children in the long run," he said.

Seong was surprised by the less attention of Indonesian people to the slow rehabilitation and reconstruction work which was below their nose.

Authorities have paid attention to the implementation of the Hensinki peace agreement between Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement more than 500,000 survivors and children who are facing a dark future while most people outside Aceh are thinking the tragedy has been over.

"Of course, victims of suicide bombings in Bali and of the flash flood in Southeast Aceh, but the reconstruction work should go faster to allow tsunami survivors to live a normal life," he said.

He said he was fearing that the shift of the international community's attention to South Asia following last week's strong earthquake that killed more than 30,000 in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, would make the condition in Aceh worse.

Seong's several Aceh visits has inspired him to study architecture in the United States next year and, after completing his study, he would live in Indonesia to develop the Aceh traditional construction architecture.

"Nine years ago, I was reluctant to live with my parents in Jakarta. But after going around the archipelago, I have been impressed by the country's diverse culture and its tribal housings which are totally different with the modern architecture in my homecountry," he said.

With the billions of dollars donated by the international community to Aceh, the government could build hundreds of thousands of earthquake-resistant, Aceh-style traditional houses for the tsunami survivors.

"The Aceh traditional houses need no nails and cements. It is very simple because we need only wood, bamboo, string for spinning a top and palm fiber for roof but constructions are safe and flexible in resisting tremors," said Seong.